Home » Disability Law » Pennsylvania Disability (SSDI) Lawyer » Lower Merion, PA Social Security Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

Lower Merion, PA Social Security Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits can provide much-needed financial support to those unable to work because of serious medical conditions in Lower Merion.

Your work history will partly determine if you can get Social Security disability in Lower Merion. Workers can earn up to four work credits annually and generally must accumulate at least 40 to qualify for disability payments. However, if you have a poor work history, you might qualify as a disabled adult child (DAC). Our lawyers will confirm if your medical condition meets the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of disability before applying for benefits. After the SSA approves your SSDI claim, you must keep your outside income low and get updated medical records to keep your benefits and prepare for possible continuing disability reviews (CDRs).

Call the Lower Merion, PA Social Security disability lawyers of Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates to get a free assessment of your case at (215) 515-2954.

Work History and SSDI Eligibility in Lower Merion, PA

A claimant’s work history is the first part of the puzzle when determining eligibility for SSDI. Our attorneys can review your employment history and estimate your work credits to assess your eligibility.

It is helpful to think of Social Security benefits in terms of an insurance plan, so to speak. Each time you get a paycheck from your employer, they should remove taxes for Social Security. This translates into work credits. You can earn one work credit for each $1,730 you earn from wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four work credits in a year. So, you need to earn just $6,920 in a year to earn your four work credits for that year.

Generally speaking, claimants must have 40 work credits to get SSDI, 20 of which must have been earned in the past ten years. Since you can earn four credits each year, you could get SSDI after being in the workforce for ten years.

If you do not have a qualifying work history yourself, you could get SSDI through one of your parent’s earning records. This depends on whether or not you meet the SSA’s definition of a disabled adult child. To be a DAC, you must be unmarried, 18 or older, and have been diagnosed with a qualified disability before age 22. Furthermore, you must have a parent with a qualifying work history to get SSDI this way in Lower Merion.

Your work history will influence your monthly benefit amount, and our Social Security disability lawyers can use that information to estimate your payments.

Verifying Your Medical Condition to Get Social Security Disability in Lower Merion, PA

The second piece of SSDI eligibility is a claimant’s medical condition. Unless you meet the SSA’s definition of disability, you cannot get benefits in Lower Merion.

The Social Security Administration decides whether a claimant has a qualifying disability according to a step-by-step process. Part of that includes assessing your medical records and comparing your diagnosis to the SSA’s listing of impairments.

If an injury, illness, or disability has left you unable to work, focus on keeping detailed records of your medical condition. You may need to give the SSA copies of these records, including information about any prescription medications you are taking or long-term treatments you need.

On top of looking at your medical records, the SSA will also ask if you are currently working. Claimants with qualified disabilities might get SSDI benefits in Lower Merion even when earning additional income, so long as that additional income is lower than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit for SSDI recipients.

Claims are most often denied when they lack sufficient medical evidence. If the SSA denied your claim for this reason, our lawyer can help you prepare updated medical records confirming your disability and pursue an appeal.

Keeping Your SSDI Payments in Lower Merion, PA

After SSDI approval, claimants will start getting regular checks from the SSA in Lower Merion. Keeping these benefits is crucial, especially if you need financial support. While SSDI payments can last for the rest of a claimant’s life, that depends on whether or not their disability persists.

Keep Outside Income Low

While those getting SSDI might work part-time jobs, they can earn only a little in additional income. If you are blind and getting SSDI, you can earn up to $2,590 monthly in 2024. If you are not blind and getting SSDI, you can earn up to $1,550 monthly. If you earn over the SGA limit for your disability, you will not get an SSDI payment for that month.

You could trigger a trial work period if you keep earning outside income. This happens when claimants earn more than $1,110 monthly and continue to do so for at least nine months during a 60-month rolling period. During the grace period following a trial work period, our attorneys can demonstrate your eligibility for Social Security disability benefits.

Prepare for Continuing Disability Reviews

You can prepare for continuing disability reviews by maintaining a detailed medical record. Even after the SSA approves your claim in Lower Merion, it might review your eligibility in the future. The SSA times CDRs according to a claimant’s likelihood of medical improvement. If the Social Security Administration expects improvement, it might review your condition within six to 18 months of approving your claim. If improvement is possible, the SSA may review your condition every three years. If the SSA does not anticipate medical improvement, it might review your condition every seven years.

During a CDR, an SSA agent will ask questions about your disability and ability to return to work and request updated medical records. If you stay ready for CDRs by getting routine medical care and assessments, you will not have to get ready for an upcoming CDR from the SSA.